At a glance

Explore past civilisations in an undiscovered country of outstanding natural beauty

Albania is a fascinating, little known Mediterranean country situated just north of mainland Greece with an incredible history set impressively against a wild and rugged landscape. Past civilisations have each left their mark, mainly the Romans and Byzantines, which we see in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Butrint and the famous Berat Fortress, but the real highlight is the warm hospitality received all over this wonderfully undiscovered country.

Itinerary

Show detailed itinerary

1Day 1Start Tirana; city tour and visit to the National History Museum

For those not travelling on the group flights the tour starts at our hotel in Tirana, Albania's capital.
This afternoon we'll have an orientation tour of the colourful streets of Tirana, which was made the capital of Albania in just 1920. We'll drive to the main sites, stopping to visit the impressive National History Museum, the facade of which is adorned with a gigantic mosaic known as, 'The Albanians'. This is one of the finest examples of late Albanian Socialist Realism in the country, depicting the resilience of the people in their fight against invasion and occupation throughout the centuries, and dominates Skanderbeg Square. The exhibits within the museum give great insight into Albania's intriguing past and recent history up to the present day.
We also explore an area known as Blloku on foot, where villas were once occupied by members of The Politburo (former leading sect of the Party of Labour of Albania) but which is now the lively centre of Tirana's nightlight where trendy bars, cafés, and fashionable clubs can be found.

After breakfast we begin our drive to Pogradec (approx. 3 hrs drive), but en route we make a short stop to visit the fortress of Elbasan. A city influenced by various cultures including Serbs and more importantly Italians, the fortress here dates to the 15th century and was built by the Romans. The fortifications originally incorporated twenty-six towers equidistantly spaced from each other along the length of a nine meter high wall; today remnants of this can be seen along the southern wall which remains more or less intact.
Our final destination for today is one of the most charming resorts in Albania, Pogradec, thanks to its position on beautiful Lake Ohrid with clear waters and mountain views. Keep your eyes peeled for Orhrid trout (known as 'Koran' in Albania), a species endemic to Lake Ohrid. We go for a scenic walk at Drilon Park on the far side of the lake to discover the waterways and ornamental plants and trees that make up this special ecosystem.See more images and videos

3Day 3Transfer to the artists' village of Voskopoja; to the important trading centre of Korca.

This morning we continue driving for about an hour to reach Voskopoja Village (formerly known as Moskopole) an important and well-known centre of art where many talented Albanian painters chose to practice their profession. The village has suffered over the years, as many of its treasures were stolen during the second half of the 18th century and this even continued during the World Wars.
Another short drive (approx. 30 mins) takes us to the largest city of south-eastern Albania, Korçë, which sits at the foot of Moravia Mountain. This city became an important handicraft centre and has also been referred to as 'the city of museums', being home to the National Museum of Mediaeval Art and Archaeology, the Museum of Education (where the first Albanian School was opened in 1878), and the new museum of 'Bratko Collections' displaying antiquities from the Far East. Korçë has also been an important religious centre for Orthodox Christians so a visit to the famous church 'The Resurrection' is a must as well as trying the famous local beer.

4Day 4Drive to Permet, famous for its food and wines, via Erseke, the highest mountain village at 1050m.

Our drive through the mountains today is truly spectacular as we enjoy sweeping views across the Gramos and Nemercka Mountains. Along the winding route, we enjoy a short stop in Ersekë which at 1050m is the highest town in Albania. This 17th century town is surrounded by beautiful green pastures of the Gramos Mountains. Continuing onwards, we make a quick stop-off at the old bridge of Benje village en route to beautiful Permet. After quite a long day (approx. 5 hrs drive in total) we arrive into Permet, situated in the heart of the white mountains on the Vjosë River.
A short walk (about half an hour) will familiarise us with this traditional village and we stop to see the nearby St. Mary's Church of Leusa, one of the best preserved in the country with wonderful frescoes. This evening you're sure to be in for a treat as Permet is famous for its food and wines, including 'gliko' sweets and raki.See more images and videos

5Day 5To Gjirokastra via the characteristic village of Dhoksat.

Drive to the beautiful town of Gjirokastra (approx. 2 hrs drive), calling in at the traditional village of Dhoksat on the way for a home-cooked lunch. In the afternoon we enjoy a guided visit around the famous town of Gjirokaster, set on a mountain slope, the cobbled streets wind their way between old houses with interesting architectural features including Mediaeval towers. The castle stands like a balcony over the town and offers wonderful panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The National Museum of Weapons is housed in the interior of the castle, where weapons have been produced for Albanian troops since ancient times.See more images and videos

In the morning we have a short journey (approx. 30 mins) to visit the 'Blue Eye', an area where seven artesian wells (natural springs) rise. Named after the largest spring, where the water descends to depths of over 50m as it infiltrates the pale-coloured surrounding rock. We then continue to the UNESCO Site of Butrint (approx. 1 hr drive), a sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine, founded in the fourth century. Worshippers came to the sanctuary and left symbolic objects or money for the gods and priests in the belief that they would be healed by the sacred waters.
We spend the night in the cosmopolitan city of Sarandë which is a stark contrast to the tranquil villages we have stayed in so far.

7Day 7Drive to spectacular beach of Dhermi; afternoon free for sunbathing and swimming; continue to Vlorë.

A change of scenery today as we head to the Ionian coast. We spend time at Dhërmi, which boasts a pleasant beach with kilometres of white sand and pebbles sloping gently toward the beautiful turquoise waters. There's plenty of time for swimming, sunbathing and relaxing in this unspoilt corner of the Mediterranean. Lunch will be taken at a local beachside resort.
From Dhërmi, we wind our way up the coast enjoying views to Corfu and miles of olive trees and pine forests to reach the popular destination of Vlorë, where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in 1912. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax on Vlorë's beach or to wander through this vibrant large town. (Total driving time today is approx. 3.5 hrs).

8Day 8Transfer to Apollonia, founded by Corinthian colonists around 600 BC; to the UNESCO site of Berat via Ardenice.

We start our journey north today and stop at the wonderful ruins of Apollonia (approx. 2.5 hrs drive). Originally occupied by the Illyrian tribes and then the Greek colonists around 600BC, Apollonia flourished in the Roman period and was home to a renowned school of philosophy but began to decline in the 3rd century AD when its harbour started silting up as a result of an earthquake.
We continue inland to the Monastery of Ardenice, built by the Byzantine Emperor in 1282 (approx. 40 mins drive). The monastery became famous as the national hero of Albania, Andronika Arianiti married here in 1451. Another highlight is the Church of Saint Mary set within the monastery, which reveals frescoes from famous Albanian painters. Finally, we transfer further inland to the famous city of Berat (approx. 1 hr drive).

9Day 9Guided tour of Berat; continue to amphitheatre and port of Durrës.

This morning we enjoy a guided tour around the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site of Berat, with its pretty white buildings perched on the hill amid pine forests. We walk through the narrow cobbled streets to finally reach Berat Castle, where we are rewarded with breath-taking views (and begin to understand why it is known to Albanians as 'The City of a Thousand Windows').
From Berat we drive to the port of Durrës (approx. 2 hrs drive), the second largest city in Albania and famed for housing the largest amphitheatre in the Balkans. The amphitheatre dates back to the 2nd century AD, seats 15,000 people and contains an early Christian crypt with rare wall mosaics.See more images and videos

10Day 10Visit Krujë; end Tirana.

After an early breakfast we drive to the famous mediaeval citadel of Krujë (approx. 45 mins drive), where Skanderbeg led the resistance against the Ottomans, and enjoy inspirational views out to the Adriatic Coast. We will visit the Scanderbeg Museum, a rich ethnographic museum inside the castle, and wander the mediaeval bazaar full of souvenirs and handicrafts.
Those travelling on the group flights will be transferred to Tirana airport for your flight back to London.See more images and videos

Your images

Guided Group

This is a small group guided holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 16 in size, with an average of 12 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Activity level

You are healthy, enjoy the outdoors and want a relaxing trip. No experience is required.

What's included

What's included

All breakfasts and 1 lunch

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

What's not included

Travel insurance

Single accommodation (available on request)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Hotels

You will spend 9 nights in 3 star hotels or pensions with good service, amenities and en-suite rooms. Each accommodation is situated within walking distance of local attractions and a variety of restaurants.

Single rooms can be booked for the duration of the tour for a supplement of From GBP145 (subject to availability) - please enquire at the time of booking.

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa
No visa required for most nationalities, including UK passport holders, most other EU nationalities, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand.
There are no specific health risks. Holiday style

This itinerary includes the main highlights of this fascinating country as well as some well-kept secrets that provide true insight into the Albanian culture. There will be some long drives (maximum 5 hours on day 4) and windy roads through spectacular wild scenery of southern Albania. All hotels are 3 star with en suite rooms yet the standard may vary depending on location.

Roads in Albania are full of potholes and of a much lower standard to what we are used to in Europe. Although they are currently tarmacing many routes, please be prepared for some journeys to be quite bumpy.

Eating & drinking

All breakfasts and 1 lunch are included.

Food in Albania is quite varied thanks to the many influences on the country, particularly Mediterranean, combining both Turkish and European tastes. Dairy products, especially milk and yoghurt are present in almost every meal, usually locally sourced.

Meals are reasonably priced at 10-15 euros per person for traditional dishes including baked rice, casseroles, stuffed aubergine and jani meat (beef or lamb sauteed with onions, garlic and spices). Fresh fish is also plentiful and is an important ingredient in many dishes. We reccommend sampling Tirana stew, Elbasani yoghurt and baked phyllo pie. For dessert Baklava is very popular. Your leader will recommend restaurants for each evening.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want
to know about this trip, including detailed itinerary and full kit list.

Weather & seasonality

Albania generally experiences a Mediterranean climate with summer temperatures at 25degC on average in the day, and the warmest months are July and August where temperatures can rise to 30degC. It becomes cooler further inland towards Korca during these months, especially in the evenings with high temperatures around 25degC. There is always the small chance of rain in the mountains yet we aim not to travel in the coldest and wettest months, which are November to January. Berat also experiences a Mediterranean climate but thanks to its location in the shadow of Mt Tomorr, summers are much warmer than expected for the Mediterranean.

Gallery

Reviews & community

A facinating country of friendly, aparently hardworking people, emerging from a difficult and troubled past. The countryside is beautiful and some of the old towns facinating.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

There were a number of highlights such as visits to the old castles, driving through the beautiful countryside on the dreadful roads and a visit to two old houses, one occupied by an old lady in Benje, near Permet. Some of the old towns like Gjirokastra and Berat are charming and even the others, although many are somewhat over developed or spoiled by communist architecture, are pleasant and interesting. Nearly all possess lovely views.

I also enjoyed our visit to Blue Eye, where clear blue water gushes up from deep underground to run through a lovely valley.

What did you think of your group leader?

Our Group leader, Ilir, was excellent. He was charming, very well informed and extremely helpful.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Although I did not really know what to expect, nothing was a shock. I would, however, suggest taking comfortable walking shoes as the hills are very steep and often very uneven to walk up.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

My only criticism would be of the Mercedes mini bus. It looked smart and was the perfect size for our party, but the suspension was very poor making it necessary for our driver to proceed at close to walking pace over the worst sections of road, of which there were many.

One of the things we couldn't help noticing was how cheap many things were, except for the petrol, which wasn't our concern. We had one extremely nice lunch in the hills at a nice open air restaurant, which worked out at £3 per head, including drinks. Cigarettes, for those who are interest, are also extremely cheap.

Questions about your trip

Pick your question

Do I need a visa for Albania?

Most nationalities, including British, require a full passport that must be valid for 6 months beyond the intended length of stay. It is your responsibility to have the correct personal documents and to obtain your own visa, if one is necessary, in accordance with the regulations of the country you are to visit.

Danuta Janik - European Operations

What is Albanian food like?

Food in Albania is quite varied thanks to the many influences on the country and particularly Mediterranean combining both Turkish and European tastes. Dairy products, especially milk and yoghurt are present in almost every meal, usually locally sourced. Meals are reasonably priced at 10-15 euros per person for traditional dishes including baked rice, casseroles, stuffed aubergine and Jani Meat (beef or lamb sautéed with onions, garlic and spices).

Fresh fish is also plentiful from the sea or lakes and is an important ingredient in many dishes. Dishes that must be sampled are Tirana stew, Elbasani yoghurt and baked phyllo pie. For dessert, there are the classic cookies and puddings but most importantly the Baklava is very popular. Drinks are reasonably priced with a bottle of beer costing around £2.20 yet traditional drinks need to be tried as well, Raki and "Scanderbeg" Cognac, (noted for its unique flavour and aroma). Your leader will recommend restaurants for each evening.

Brendan Phelan - Customer Operations

Is it easy to travel through Albania?

There will be some long drives (maximum 5 hours on day 4) and windy roads in some areas but this is more than made up for by the spectacular, wild scenery. Some of the drives, especially between Korca and Gjirokastra, or Sarande to Dhermi, are particularly special.

Brendan Phelan - Customer Operations

Albania Country Guide

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